Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-02-05

My Mother Bids Me Bind My Hair
and solos from the oratorios. Mr.. Feyne
said very little, but sat in his dark corner
with his eyes fixed on Jenny. 1t was
only when Lady Eleanor said that she
feared they were firing Miss Wilson that
he said in low voice to Jenny: "Ah, l
forgot that was selfish; could listen to
You forever
Lady Violet, who had come into the
hall, rang the hell and asked the servant
to show Miss Wilson to the housekeeper's
room. ssYou will want something after
all that singing, - she said, kindly, ''and
/ have told Mrs. Benson to have some
supper ready for you"
Jenny was bowling her way out when
Mr.. Feyne made some hasty steps towards
her.
81 cannot thank you enough, he said,
gently; ssyou have SO much reverence and
religion in the tones of your voice, that
one feels better for listening to YOU
When she was gone the party criticised
her singing.
''It is pity said Mr.. Reyhill, '.that
she doesn't learn something besides those
old songs and sacred music. It's all very
well of a Sunday evening to have sacred
music, but one likes little change of a
week day
Mr.. Feyne answered little hotly that
to sing any other kind of music would
spoil Miss Wilson'S voice. Don't you
agree with me?" no cried, turning to
Lady Eleanor, ''that her style is perfect.
Any change would be for the worse
''She sings charmingly,' y replied Lady
Eleanor, a little vaguely. Whereupon
Mr.. Feyne returned.
''Ah! l forgot, Lady Eleanor. You
DOM care about music. wonder at it. y
Eleanor grew crimson. 81 am learn
ing to care for it, she said hesitatingly.
The next day at breakfast Richard
begged his sister to ask Miss Wilson to
come up again and sing. Lady Violet was
only too glad to be able to provide some
pleasure for him. She readily acquiesced,
but when she and Lady Eleanor were
sitting together in the little boudoir, she
referred to the subject of Jenny, and
found Eleanor far from responsive. Lady
Violet's sitting room was pretty little
room overlooking the lake and distant
woods. 1t was simply crammed with
knicknacks and pretty little useless
things. There were plenty of little tables
covered with china and silver boxes and
bric-a-brac. There was no such thing
as reasonably sized table at which
any one could write in comfort.
There was a great enamel box
of French bonbons which was con-
tinually replenished, there were plenty
of magazines and novels, and
profusion of delicately scented dollhouse
flowers. Everybody became hopelessly
idle directly they entered the room, and
they always spent the morning with their
feet on the fender, carrying on the most
desultory conversation.
81 am SO glad Richard liked her sing
ing" Lady Violet was saying, 'for it
will help me to persuade him to stay on
here.
eyes" answered Lady Eleanor, a
little drily, "Miss Wilson'S singing may
have that desired effect. -
why, Nell, what S the matter? there's
no harm, surely
'sNo, no, cried Lady Eleanor, quickly,
''nothing I feel sure she is very good
girl, it is only my folly. 1 thought
fancied-oh, never mind. Don't let's
talk any more about it. Let's see this
new frock of yours. / can't be sure
whether should like the silver with the
salmon color" And her cheeks still re-
manned crimson, though she was APP
parently occupied with the consideration
of Lady Violet's wardrobe.
So Jenny came up again and again to
Reyhill place, and sang of an evening to
Mr.. Feyne. He was always courteous
and kind. There were moments, 80
Jenny fancied, when he entirely lost
sight of her personality, and only identi-
fed her with her music, as one might
think of bird. He said many things to
her in praise of her voice, but never made
her any mere compliments. There was,
Jenny felt, a curious relation established
between them. Unconsciously, and with
out analyzing the feeling, she looked for
ward eagerly to these evenings. The dim
hall, with its vague scent of violets, the
warmth and the luxurious beauty of the
house, after the chilly dinginess of her
home, the sense of easy leisure after the
toiling and moiling all day brought to the
little seamstress an indefnable sense of
pleasure. Had Lady Violet been older
she would have foreseen the danger, but
such an idea never occurred to her. She
was much too busy with her own round
of enjoyment. And Mr.. Feyne himself,
absorbed in the pleasure of the music,
and too chivalrous and modest to think
he was inspiring any other feeling than
that of the merest friendship, where it
was his intention to inspire nothing
warmer, never dreamed of any drawback
to his intimacy with Miss Wilson.
There was little woman staying at
Reyhill who always liked to have her share
in what was going on. She was little
old spinster of good family and very small
means, who spent her life in visiting
going from one great house to another,
playing when others danced, writing
letters for the lady of the house, going in
to dinner with the bore of the evening,
and performing a thousand little duties of
the kind in return for the hospitality
offered her. She was toady and a mis-
chief maker, but was so useful that she
was still a welcome guest. She had al
ways an inexhaustble store of confidential
gossip, and could make herself very
agreeable after her own fashion. In per-
son she was very tiny, with black hair,
and bright eyes like shiny beads She
was very anxious to ingratiate herself
with Lady Eleanor, to whom she had
hitherto paid court in vain, and she saw
at glance the present position of affairs.
THAT foolish Richard Feyne, she said
to herself, Twill get himself into scrape
by and by, and viii lose all his chances
with Lady Eleanor Ga good e., 900 year,
and that beautiful old place in Hamp-
shire. He doesn't see what he's doing,
aud friendly word in season viii put
things straight, and make Eleanor my
friend for life.
So, after luncheon one day, she sided
up to Richard, and asked him to come
into the hall to see some art needlework
she was doing for his sister. When they
were alone she began to her unsuspect-
ing companion:
Il dare say you think me very meddle-
some, Mr.. Feyne?"
As a matter of fact. Richard had never